Good review, it is definately a superior game to FIFA 10, however I think its a game that shows its quality over time so for some people it needs to grow on them before they can truely appreciate how much better it is. Worth the full price though? That depends if you truely love football and want the most upto date game.

I used to like the FIFA games, but I don't think I've played one since 04 or something... I may pick this one up. Should have a job soon, so money and stuff. And it sounds like they improved them. I've always liked that you can improve your teams, instead of having these static players, who never seem to get better at kicking the damn ball, even with all that practice.Oh, and Tito? Red cards are bad.

The one big step for this years Fifa was proper, and I mean proper, PC support. Previous incarnations have been an embarrassment. The PC version doesn't have personality pro but then - who really cares. In multiplayer I want to play against the other player, not against an overpaid primadonna and in single player I prefer to take a lower league team to greatness than just cling to the coattails of the 'big four'. Many "serious" football players stuck to Pro Evo for years with non-licensed players, this has always been secondary to gameplay for the real football fan.

When you have a good group of players to enjoy the game with it comes alive - they've restricted the PC version to max 10 players but the drop out rate for 20-a-side, presuming you could actually get enough people to stay long enough to kick off, was appalling so this is no bad thing at all.

I'm interested to know where the reviewer thinks the game is lacking to have it receive only a four star review. A few of the comments made in the article lead me to believe the author doesn't really care too much, or properly understand the game. Football is a team game so in all modes positional play and working into space is a big factor of the game. It's not always about being on the ball but about moving into a position to break the defence or create gaps. Fifa does this better than any other game in the past. Pro mode further accentuates this when you are locked to the individual player and have to be very careful to play that position effectively and not play it like a schoolboy continuously chasing the ball!

You also are not restricted to one position as such, this is a nice feature in that you play where the manager puts you. My preferred position is right midfielder but was selected for left midfield or central at times which was a real test of my ability to adjust.

Certainly when you look at the competition, which consists entirely of the stalled franchise that is Pro Evolution Soccer, it's blown it out of the water continuously over the past three years. I'm glad to be back on Fifa - and even more pleased to be able to play with my PC gaming pals.

While I do think this year's FIFA was better than last year's, for me it still has most of the same problems as before. Its play feels a bit one-dimensional, as you're basically using the same tactics as before to win... pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, one-on-one with the keeper. Long balls and crosses rarely work, dribbling is pointless unless you use the flick-it trick system (and even using that rarely works), and defending is a bit too over-powered. You'll only ever use one tactic to win games cos it's the only one that works.

Of course this is just my own opinion, and if that make me a so-called PES fanboy despite its plummet from grace, then so be it. But I did enjoy FIFA 10 and I do believe that some games only need tweaks instead of needless overhauls. My personal opinion however, is that FIFA 11 hasn't been tweaked enough.

Boemmel:Um, a Macintosh version of FIFA 11 (it is mentioned in Platforms)? When did that happen? I know there is one for iOS devices, but iPhone, iPad and the lot are still kinda different from a Mac ;)

Not convinced about a mac release but they've produced a quite spiffy online version - nowhere near the quality of the full game but still was a nice game which filled the gap until the full PC release!

Brainplant:While I do think this year's FIFA was better than last year's, for me it still has most of the same problems as before. Its play feels a bit one-dimensional, as you're basically using the same tactics as before to win... pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, one-on-one with the keeper. Long balls and crosses rarely work, dribbling is pointless unless you use the flick-it trick system (and even using that rarely works), and defending is a bit too over-powered. You'll only ever use one tactic to win games cos it's the only one that works.

Of course this is just my own opinion, and if that make me a so-called PES fanboy despite its plummet from grace, then so be it. But I did enjoy FIFA 10 and I do believe that some games only need tweaks instead of needless overhauls. My personal opinion however, is that FIFA 11 hasn't been tweaked enough.

"There's much more skill involved, and so tons more satisfaction, in building an attack with clever movement, accurate passes and well timed-runs, than there is in just pressing the pass button four times in a row."

In my country, soccer is a HUGE thing, it's even an obsession here. Many people breathe, eat, crap and sleep soccer and despite that, I hate socce and sometimes I feel like an outcast because of that.

Anyways, good review, I may get it for the PC, but only if it supports the 360 pad, if not, then, it won't hurt if I pass this one out, as I've passed FIFA games since '98 and they all look the same to me, only with prettier graphics.

Boemmel:Um, a Macintosh version of FIFA 11 (it is mentioned in Platforms)? When did that happen? I know there is one for iOS devices, but iPhone, iPad and the lot are still kinda different from a Mac ;)

Not convinced about a mac release but they've produced a quite spiffy online version - nowhere near the quality of the full game but still was a nice game which filled the gap until the full PC release!

Ooh, nice, I think I should check that out later :)

But what I meant was that maybe the review itself has a little error: At the very end where all the supported platforms are mentioned, one of the supported platforms given there is Mac, which, unless the Escapist reviewers know something we do not, is not a supported platform right now, as there is no Mac version of FIFA 11 as far as I know.

On the other hand, I know that EA is doing iOS releases of a lot of their games now and I think FIFA 11 for iPhone/iPad/iWhatever is actually already out as well, together with all the other versionsl. But then the supported platform should be iOS or iPhone and not Mac, because although they are all made by Apple, they are still a different platform :)

SupahGamuh:In my country, soccer is a HUGE thing, it's even an obsession here. Many people breathe, eat, crap and sleep soccer and despite that, I hate socce and sometimes I feel like an outcast because of that.

Anyways, good review, I may get it for the PC, but only if it supports the 360 pad, if not, then, it won't hurt if I pass this one out, as I've passed FIFA games since '98 and they all look the same to me, only with prettier graphics.

soccer?, i thought that it was called that only in the USA.

on another point, i will try this, specially after trying PES 2011 and not liking it.

JourneyThroughHell:I'm sorry, Greg, I completely misunderstood why you are the one to review this game.

It's pretty obvious that, well, you don't like soccer that much, which is okay, but I bet you that Fifa 11 is really really different in the hands of a football fan.

For me, it was as different as I could ever imagine it being - refined passing, controls, penalty system, Be A Goalkeeper.

Also, more red cards does not equal better.

Just saying.

Because the other football fan in the office is me, and I mean the American type :P

Huh...Well, that's a problem.

I have nothing against non-football fans (despite them obviously being WRONG) but I do think that a guy who reviews football games should actually like football, otherwise it'll be incredibly difficult for him to spot the differences and the gameplay aspects.

Also, sorry for constantly saying "football", I guess calling it "soccer" would actually be a far fairer option, but it's hard to switch.

JourneyThroughHell:I'm sorry, Greg, I completely misunderstood why you are the one to review this game.

It's pretty obvious that, well, you don't like soccer that much, which is okay, but I bet you that Fifa 11 is really really different in the hands of a football fan.

For me, it was as different as I could ever imagine it being - refined passing, controls, penalty system, Be A Goalkeeper.

Also, more red cards does not equal better.

Just saying.

Because the other football fan in the office is me, and I mean the American type :P

Huh...Well, that's a problem.

I have nothing against non-football fans (despite them obviously being WRONG) but I do think that a guy who reviews football games should actually like football, otherwise it'll be incredibly difficult for him to spot the differences and the gameplay aspects.

Also, sorry for constantly saying "football", I guess calling it "soccer" would actually be a far fairer option, but it's hard to switch.

On the other hand, you could also consider it in the light that a person who doesn't like soccer might consider picking up the game, and shouldn't a review be equally valuable to them as well? You might argue that someone coming in who isn't a huge soccer fan might be more likely to judge a game on its own merits.

On the other hand, you could also consider it in the light that a person who doesn't like soccer might consider picking up the game, and shouldn't a review be equally valuable to them as well? You might argue that someone coming in who isn't a huge soccer fan might be more likely to judge a game on its own merits.

Tito likes sports games, and he volunteered. So he got it :)

Yeah, I guess I see the possibilites but I just don't think that a person who is thinking of picking up his first soccer game should go by the reviews of people similar to him.

Example - as a person who knew literaly nothing about American football, I tried out the demos for Madden and Backbreaker. Guess which one I liked more and guess which is the acclaimed superior game?

I like football. Great game, I'm not particularly good at it, but i do play every week or so at school. A ball to the face or balls just what keeps the happiness factor down a bit, but still...getting a goal is a great feeling....I think i played FIFA 04 or 05 or something like that once, but i couldn't get the idea of the game and got bored quickly. I doubt I'd get bored with this.

capacollo:Yah. I wholeheartedly agree with the review. Clean design, nothing totally innovative however but enjoyable. If you have FIFA10 don't think you'll need the upgrade but its a nice to have.

I respectfully disagree. I bought FIFA 10, having being thoroughly disappointed by FIFA 08 and it's sticky controls. However, FIFA 10 felt much of the same, and FIFA 11 in comparison to it's immediate predecessor feels like it's gliding in air. In short: FIFA 10 sucked. FIFA 11 much, much better.

MonsterZero74:Edit - It also cracks me up when Brits get annoyed at Americans when the term "soccer" is used when the Brits are the ones who invented the word as slang for "Association Football" back in the 1800s.

Fifa 11 is the perfect game to invite your mates round for a few beers and discuss what really matters..... Will Liverpool get a new owner soon enough to make an impact on the season? Have Newcastle got the man power to survive in the Premiership? And why can't Man Untd keep up with Chelsea this season?